Why aren’t all of your church members involved in some sort of ministry in your church? Is it laziness or ignorance? Or is it something else?

They’ve never been asked. Some members have never been approached and been asked to get involved. Whose fault is that? I know members shouldn’t want to be asked, but there are members who will not get involved until they are personally approached and asked. We have to decide to either ask or continue to watch these folks stand idle on the side lines.

Some members are not equipped. Some folks are not involved because no one has taken an interest in equipping them to serve. Some folks need some guidance and unless they get it, they will not serve.

Some folks are worldly. The third soil of the Parable of the Soils was the thorny ground. This soil represents folks who are too busy with worldly pursuits and concerns to have time to serve and bear fruit. This is the toughest member to deal with because he/she has an excuse for every request or offer you have for him/her. Bottom line: they ain’t got time for the Lord’s cause. However, in my personal experience with these folks, I simply refuse to take “No” for an answer.

Some of the church’s ministries are not challenging enough. Let’s face it: some of the ministries in the church aren’t very challenging or rewarding. Many of our ministries in the church are maintenance ministries and some members (especially millennials–those born in the 80’s and 90’s) are not interested. It’s not that they think such ministries are beneath them; they are interested in helping folks in very practical ways. The solution is to allow these people to come up with their ideas and then empower them. People want to make significant contributions to others and they want to experience spiritual growth as they serve. Such requires that our ministries are fresh and challenging.

Some folks have been overworked and been unappreciated. It’s kind of like, “once a Bible teacher, always a Bible teacher.” There are folks who have served for years and have never had a break and in many cases these folks have never been shown any public appreciation or been honored. Most people do not serve to receive recognition or honor. However, we all need to be appreciated and honored (honor to whom honor is due is a Biblical concept). And, we all need a break from time to time.

Some folks have had bad experiences. Something went wrong, someone got upset, someone took control away, someone criticized—something went wrong. Some volunteers will “bail out” quickly when things get rocky in a ministry and may never return to volunteer for a ministry.

As a leader do what you can to prevent bad things from happening and making the serving environment one that is conducive to getting and keeping good volunteers.